Soccer
Kelechi Iheanacho of Celtic celebrates after his goal wins the match. Photo by: ImagoxVagelisxGeorgariou
Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has won the Scottish Premiership title with Celtic, following a dramatic 3-1 victory over Hearts at Celtic Park on Saturday, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Hoops welcomed title rivals Hearts to Glasgow for their final game of the season on Saturday. The stakes couldn’t have been higher, with the match serving as a winner-take-all decider for the Premiership crown.
Sitting one point adrift of their visitors, Celtic desperately needed a win. However, their title hopes took a hit when Lawrence Shankland opened the scoring for Hearts in the 43rd minute.
Fortunately for the hosts, Arne Engels drew them level from the penalty spot just before the break.
Although Iheanacho did not start, he was introduced at the beginning of the second half.
The Nigerian has primarily functioned as an impact substitute under manager Martin O’Neill, and he was called upon to deliver a similar game-changing performance.
While Celtic dominated most of the second half, they struggled to find a clinical breakthrough. The atmosphere at Celtic Park was palpable with tension, knowing a single goal would determine whether the Premiership trophy stayed in Glasgow or traveled to Edinburgh.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 87th minute, and it belonged to Celtic. Talisman Daizen Maeda connected with a cross from Callum Osmand, smashing a close-range shot into the back of the net to send the home fans into raptures.
Desperate to rescue the draw that would secure them the title, Hearts poured men forward. In the final minute of stoppage time, they won a corner and sent everyone—including their goalkeeper—into the Celtic box.
However, the gamble backfired. Following an interception by Callum McGregor, Osmand collected the ball and launched a counterattack toward the vacated Hearts goal.
With no one back to defend, he calmly poked the ball into the empty net to make it 3-1, sealing the match and the championship.
CHAMPIONS AGAIN!
🏆 Celtic are crowned Champions of Scotland for the FIFTH season in a row!
Huge congratulations to Martin O’Neill and the Bhoys
#Champion5 | #CelticFC🍀🏆 pic.twitter.com/IoZTsGuvLH— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) May 16, 2026
Although the Super Eagles striker did not get on the scoresheet against Hearts, his impact on the match was undeniable.
His introduction injected urgency into Celtic’s play, providing a physical presence in the final third that galvanized the Hoops’ attack.
Even before this game against Hearts, the former Leicester City man had rescued his side on multiple occasions, particularly during the crucial run-in since April. In their penultimate match against Motherwell, he came off the bench to score the decisive winning goal.
Earlier in the month, he also netted a vital match-winner in a 2-1 victory over Hibernian, following a similarly decisive goal against Dundee FC.
Without his crucial contributions, Celtic might have fallen short. Instead, the Hoops are celebrating a historic 56th league title—a triumph Iheanacho will undoubtedly savor before shifting focus to his future and charting the next chapter of his career.
Kelvin Omachonu
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
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